Coleslaw
by Silver and Gray
Summary: Discontinued.
1. The Tennis Court

**Coleslaw**

**A fluff story between two people who both seemed to have changed dramatically in personality!**

**My first Harry Potter fan fiction. It's a Hermione/Draco fluff story =O I may as well put an author's note in right here. This is just a fan fiction, so it's going to be a sort of drabble. Short chapters, quick-to-the-point story, and I'm not taking this serious =F. But other than that, I hope I have fun writing this! If you have any suggestions for the story, that you think would make it better, feel free to tell me:)**

**Constructive Criticism welcome.**

**Enjoy!**

Everyone stared at me as I leaned against the doorframe to the building clutching my chest trying to catch my breath with every painful inhale. With a final inhale I looked up, placing the most charming smile I could possible put on my face to hide my grimace and began walking to my work desk while saying good morning to my other workers.

I made it to work.

Just on time.

I sighed again, relief flooding through me. I wasn't late to work, though I had missed the bus that took me every day. I was just _barely_ on time. I just _barely_ made it.

"You're early _again_, Hermione."

I looked up and scowled at my work assistant as she stared at me with what looked like awe.

"There's still so much we need to prepare for." I said indignantly, "Unlike you, I don't saunter in five minutes before it's time to start work."

She smiled casually, and placed her hands up toward her hair, which was in a ponytail and tightened it slightly, "Sorry to leave you hanging and come in last minute." She said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes and sat down at the desk and began filing the papers that has been dropped off just that morning. Everything had to be alphabetized and organized perfectly. Awareness and consideration took a large part in my job, and I couldn't afford to mess up the whole workday routine. I, being head of the office company, was in charge of keeping everything in order, and keeping everything where they ought to be.

After several minutes working tediously in silence (in which I would have much rather preferred)my assistant looked up from her laptop and opened her mouth.

"So, did you find anyone new?"

I groaned and felt like slamming my hands on the desk. The dreaded question _again_. No matter how many times she was going to ask it, I am not sure, but I am sure of this. The answer was never going to change.

"What do you think?" I said raising my head looking at her, making sure she could see the look of annoyance, plain and clear upon my face, "I've answered you before, and it's been the same since the last five hundred times you've asked me."

She looked at me and had a quizzical look on her face.

"But surely, I mean I understand," She added hastily, apparently from the look I was giving her, "I understand what he had said, but...are you sure?"

"Am I sure what?" I snapped impatiently.

"Well..." She said uncomfortably, looking as if she was going to a place she should not linger and twisted her ponytail nervously around her finger, "That he meant...it like _that_..." she finished the sentence with a feeble shrug.

I felt like I had stopped breathing for a few seconds, and in which I probably had, but then straightened up in my chair and picked up a pen and began examining it as if I was solely interested in finding every little detailed engraved on it.

"Whether he meant it 'that way' or not," I began crossing my arms, "I made him a promise. He was...special to me unlike anyone else, and...I don't want to..."

I realized to my surprise that my voice had suddenly gotten quieter as I trailed off. I found myself examining my shoes. After a few seconds of silence, I blushed in embarrassment and looked up to see her staring at me with a look of concern on her face. That only made me feel even more discomforted. I've always hated that.

"And you shouldn't be asking things like that about my personal life, Valerie." I stated matter-of-factly, with a tone that noted we were finished with the conversation. I felt the harshness in my voice and instantly tried to apologize, but realized it too late as she had already bowed her head looking obviously flustered.

"Er...let's keep sorting..." She said quietly to break the awkward silence. I let my crossed arms fall to my sides and nodded.

"Yes." I said as kindly as possible, hoping that maybe she would catch on that I was trying to show that I was sorry. She nodded and we continued working in silence for the next few hours.

My cell phone beeped and I looked at the time on the front. It was lunchtime. Usually I have always looked forward to this time, even though most days the hours dragged by relentlessly, today seemed especially slow. I stood up stretching and saw Valerie look up,

"Okay, lunch break," I said as casually as possible so she could pick up that I wasn't angry at her. I checked the time on my cell phone again and pulled my bag onto my shoulder, "Be back within the hour."

She smiled at me slightly and walked out the door while pulling out car keys from within her purse. When the hour was over, no doubt she was going to come back with a cappuccino in one hand.

I stayed around for a few minutes to stack more papers onto an already organized pile. Finally I too walked out the doors into the sun. I instantly felt myself relax as the heat of the sunlight rested on me. Maybe I would go to that cute Cafe that was down the street by the tennis courts. They, as I remembered, had some of the best sandwiches you could find around the city.

As I continued walking, I felt myself becoming slightly drowsy. I placed my hand in front of my eyes to shield out the sunlight.

_"Do you... promise me?"_

_The voice choked out, barely a whisper. Blue eyes looked into hazel as her eyes filled with tears taking his hands into her, she shakily replied,_

_"Y-yes...for you..."_

_A smile played across his lips as the life within him faded aw--_

"LOOK OUT!"

Something the size of a cannonball (or what felt like it) Suddenly smashed into my forehead. I felt myself crumble slightly, losing my balance due to the impact, and I fell to the ground and found myself on my back staring up at the sky.

"Oh my god, I think you killed her!"

The note of sarcasm within the man's voice, obviously, gave away the fact that whoever had hit me hadn't _really_ killed me. And yet, the blow to my head didn't really make me feel all that well.

"No I didn't." The other boy snapped back though he sounded like he was slightly anxious . Something about that _voice_...he sounded so _handsome_...

I could have sworn I had heard that voice somewhere before. It sounded oddly familiar. "I can't believe it. You hit a girl with a _tennis ball_." The other voice said, snorting slightly, "That's seriously lame. If it were me--"

"I don't care if it was you." The voice said, hinting that he didn't want to be made fun of anymore.

I got hit by a _tennis ball_?

"Hey," The voice said and I could tell that he had kneeled down to my level looking in my face, his voice soft with concern, "I'm sorry, you're not hurt are you?"

I turned my face in his direction and was nearly blinded by the sunlight, that cast a shadow over his face. I couldn't see who he was.

"I think you _did _kill her. She's not breathing is she?"

"Shut up, you're not helping!" He turned back looking at me, "Can you get up?"

I suddenly realized just how ridiculous I must look lying on the ground. I flushed, nodded, and pushed myself up onto my elbows, my head hurt...

"Here," He yielded to me and held out his hand. I looked up at him (though I still couldn't see his face) and took his hand gratefully.

"Thank you." I said to him and smiled slightly trying to hide my embarrassment. I had never been through anything more mortifying. I looked down at my pants and brushed at them absently so I wouldn't have to make eye contact.

"I can't believe it, you know he usually doesn't play like that. He's usually _worse_-"

His friend laughed and he shot him a warning look. Finally when he quieted down, the boy who had helped me up cleared his throat.

"Listen, I, uh..." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, "I know that was a really stupid thing I did, and I'm really, _really_ sorry. Could I make it up to you, maybe, if you gave me your number, and we'd go out to get something to eat together? You know, as an apology?"

I stopped looking at my pants for any monocle dust particle I may have missed. Was this boy asking me out? And I haven't even known him for even a whole minute yet! (54.5 seconds!)

I pulled myself together. It wasn't like he was asking me out. I scoffed at my own abruptness of assumption. He was just asking if he wanted me to go out to eat with him sometime.

"I'd like that," I said, though it was only because it would be plain rude to turn down somebody trying to apologize to you. And it was quite a noble thing. I mean, it's not every day a boy hits you with a tennis ball then asks you to eat with him as an apology. I reached into my bag and pulled out a pen and some paper, that I hastily ripped off of the corner of some notebook paper, and scrawled down my cell phone number.

"Here," I said finally looking up and holding out the piece of paper to him. My breath caught in my throat.

"Thanks." He said smiling at me as he reached out his arm to take the paper from me.

The one who had hit me with a tennis ball. Who was standing before me in a Muggle city, and obviously didn't know who I was.

Draco Malfoy.

_Draco. Malfoy._

**Ahhh. First chapter down ^^ Thank you to whoever read.**

**Yes, Malfoy sucks at Tennis -gasps- I've always wanted to write something about that =x**

**Hermione's personality is still one that I need to sort out. Basically she's more of a workaholic than ever D;**

**Told you I wasn't taking this seriously =D**

**Read and Review please ^^**


	2. Irony

**Geez, already people have reviewed o,o Thank you! -is surprised- You are all very kind.**

**I try to make Hermione so grammatically correct all the time, while everyone else's speech is awful xD I'm not the best at this kind of thing...**

**Blueberry Go-gurt is the bessssttttt.**

**Enjoy ^^**

The look on my face must've been downright awful.

"You're _sure_ you're not sick are you? You sure you didn't hit your head when you fell?"

_I think __**you**__ hit __**your **__head..._

He was looking at me. He didn't have that scowl he once always had. Instead a small smile played across his lips. His hair looked tussled and messy, which was _unusual_ because of his background. I remember him being so much better groomed, and his clothing always top-of-the-line. Now I see him standing before me in the most urban looking attire you could wear. Shorts, short sleeved shirt with a baseball cap on top of it all. But it was definitely Malfoy. I'd recognize that pale face and blonde hair anywhere. I cleared my throat and ran a hand through my hair looking at him, hoping my shock wasn't giving anything away.

"I-I'm fine." I said though I was partially lost in thought.

More importantly...

What was he doing in a Muggle suburbia? He was the last person I'd expect to see in a place that was practically swarming with -I felt myself almost scoff out loud- _Mudbloods_...

This is indeed...an awkward situation at my hands. He doesn't seem to have any recollection, or does he seem recognize me. What would anyone else do at a time like this?

_Walk away._

"Right." I said to myself and accidentally aloud. Malfoy had heard me.

"Sorry?"

"Oh," I cleared my throat and glanced down at my watch, "Sorry, I meant, I was on lunch break from work and so..."

I broke off feebly gesturing awkwardly with my hands and then he suddenly seemed to catch on.

"Oh!" he said his eyes widening, "Right. Sorry." He said laughing slightly in embarrassment. "I'll let you go..."

His voice carried away and he seemed to be staring at something, though I had no idea what. It was almost as though he was lost in thought. It almost as though he was..._staring at me_...

This was so _weird_.

I lowered my gaze blushing slightly. I had forgotten how much taller he had was then I.

"Yes...thank you." I said, managing a small smile of grateful courtesy without looking up, "Well...goodbye..."

I turned around to walk away.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. What's your name?"

I stopped and fought the urge to cringe. This was the moment he was going to find out who I was. But..

"Valerie." I said without even thinking about it.

He nodded then held out his hand, "I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy."

I nodded, but didn't take his hand. I pretended I hadn't seen it. After a few seconds he dropped his hand to his side.

"Right...I'll call you, okay? Valerie?" He added my name to the end of the sentence as if trying to get used to using it.

I nodded and raised my hand in a farewell before turning away again. As I walked farther away I could pick up Draco's friends voice,

"Wow, man. You got a hot one too. You're lucky she even gave you her phone number. She looks like the hard-to-get type, y'know?"

I bit my lip and walked faster, not bothering to hear what Draco had said back to him. _Hard to get..._I snorted under my breath and walked back toward the building with a million thoughts going through my head at once.

I burst through the doors of the building and walked as fast as I could to the elevators and pushed the Up button. Nothing happened for a few seconds and so I pushed it again. And again. And then the doors opened.

And the _real_ Valerie stood before me holding her afternoon cappuccino.

"'Sup?" She said with while sipping obnoxiously loud from the cup.

I could have slapped her.

Well, I could slap anyone at the moment. But instead, I stepped into the elevator, the doors closing behind me.

There was a moment of silence between us as she looked me up and down, and then,

"You look like you fell."

I spun on her furiously, opening and closing my mouth. I gaped at her, with nothing to say. She stared at me, slightly surprised. Then again, everything seems to surprise her.

The elevator doors opened and I stomped out of them.

"What's wrong?" She said, finally catching on to my mood.

"Okay," I fired off as we stepped through the doors to our office, "Let's just _say_ someone that used to hate me, was probably my worst enemy(Well, to be truthful to myself, _Harry's_ worst enemy...) , suddenly reappears and doesn't seem to recognize me, and then suddenly asks me out on a date! Oh, yeah, did I mention he doesn't recognize me?!" I crossed my arms furiously.

I looked behind and saw that she was trying to keep up with my pace as she stumbled slightly in her high heels. I slowed down and threw myself into my desk chair.

"So.." She said after catching her breath and sitting down in the chair facing my desk, "This...this boy who used to hate you-"

"I didn't like him that much either, come to think of it."

"Well, this boy. " She continued, "He asked you out? And he doesn't recognize you? It's not like people really change in three years, do they?" She sipped her coffee again and I winced at the slurping noises, "Unless you get plastic surgery, right?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the last part. I took a deep breath, but before I could talk, she spoke.

"But, he would have remembered you after you said your name right?"

"Er..." I stopped my face going blank, "Well, uh. I didn't really...tell him my actual name..." I blushed looking down.

She stared at me for a few seconds in silence. A small giggle broke the air.

"What?" I said irritated lifting my head, "What's funny?"

She shook her head at me and smiled slightly, "No...not funny. Just ironic, you know? I think you should keep up this incognito. If he doesn't recognize who you are, then why should you worry? Play along, and then after the food thing, you'll never see him again!"

I glowered at her,

"Easy for you to say. You didn't have to go to school with him? Do you know how much of a nightmare he is?"

"Is he now?"

I felt my eyes widen and I leaned back.

"Um...well. No. He's actually, really... really charming?"

She gave me a quizzical look,

"Are you asking me a question?"

I sighed slightly and tapped my pen off of the desk, "No...it's just that...him and charming have never really gone together...I'm not sure...he was...nice..."

"You look sick."

I must have been making a weird face.

"No, I'm fine. It's just, he was never _nice _or _charming_..."

I can't get that out of my head. He was so nice and charming. Even though he didn't recognize me, surely I resembled myself a little? I mean, I haven't changed that much...

"Can someone change dramatically in appearance just by changing their style of hair?" I placed my hands up to my head, where my hair was placed in a tight bob. It had loosened slightly from my earlier fall.

"Um. You haven't changed." Valerie replied with disbelief in her voice, as if I had become stupid, "You look exactly (and act) the same since the first day you got here."

And that was three years ago. After I had left the great school. Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I looked up. But nobody within the city had known where I had come from in. I had said I lived in the town over, and due to magic, I was able to create a diploma as a facade that I had gone to a Muggle college. Of course nobody knew _why_ I had done it. But I wasn't intending on telling anyone why. It was a promise between me and-

My cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and never fainted from shock. I showed the phone to Valerie, who nodded, showing she understood, and I quickly walked away.

"Hello?" I said as soon as I got around the corner.

_"Hey, Hermione!"_

"Ginny?!"

I almost choked.

"This is so...so unexpected! I mean," Then my voice became serious, "You're not supposed to call me on my phone! They bug the lines of these things you know..." I alleged struggling to hide my surprise. This day kept getting weirder.

"I thought you were--"

_"Look, I don't care (Who puts insects in phones?) about the whole thing were I'm not allowed to use phones at Bill's place. I put a simple enchantment upon it so that it can call long distance! What do you think about that?!"_

Phones never worked well at Bill and Fleur's house, considering that there was no signal within site. The whole Weasley family was currently vacationing there. All the Weasley's and-

"Harry? How's Harry?"

_"Charming! He was asking about you. That gave me the idea to try this enchantment on the phone! It's really useful..."_

I smiled slightly. Lately she'd been oddly happier than usually. My only guess was going to be Harry. Then my face fell.

"And...?"

There was silence on the other line, as if Ginny had just remembered too.

_"Ron's okay for now. He hasn't really...changed."_

I nodded to myself mostly. We were both quiet on the lines.

"Can you tell them I said hi to both of them?

_"Of course Hermione."_

"Thanks." I said softly in relief. I hadn't seen any of them for a while. Suddenly a thought struck me, "Ginny. Help."

_"Why? Are you okay?"_

"Yes, yes I'm fine." I took a deep breath.

"DracoMalfoyaskedmetoeatoutwithhimafterhishitmeinthefacewithatennisballandIacceptedbecauseIdidn'twantto-"

_"Wait. I have no idea what you're saying."_

I took another deep breath and started again.

"Remember Draco Malfoy?"

On the other end I heard something that sounded like a scoff.

_"Who'd forget him? Anyway, what's he got to do with anything? We haven't seen him for three years-"_

"That's just the point. I saw him today...and he sort of...asked me out..."

The noise on the other end had gone dead. I waited a few moments, and then I began to think the call had been dropped.

"Ginny?"

_"Wow...I thought you two didn't like each other. What happened to make him change? This is quite amazing..."_

She sounded impressed.

"I don't know...but he...he's changed. He's nicer, and...Oh Ginny! I don't know what to do! It's not like I _like _him (Merlin forbid!) I just didn't want to be rude and turn him down when he asked if I wanted to go with him..."

_"You should go with him then."_

The answer took me back for a second.

"Uh...sorry?"

_"Hermione, you said you already accepted. I'm sure nothing wrong can happen, since it was his invitation after all..."_

"Ginny...you don't mean...but I--"

_"Hermione, I'm sure nothing bad can come from it. If he's a total jerk the next time you see him, you can just walk away--"_

The sound of a call breaking on the other side was heard and the other line went dead. I could only guess that the enchantment put on the Ginny's phone had run out. Closing my phone I leaned back against the wall. What...was going on? That wasn't something Ginny would say. She had hated Malfoy just as much as I...

I pursed my lips in concentration. Ginny had never said something like that before. Surely she would have _at least_ been surprised that I had seen him in a Muggle city?

I turned back to walk back to my desk.

My cell phone rang again.

I expected it to be Ginny calling back as I looked at the caller ID. But when I saw the number, it was one I didn't recognize.

I answered it.

"Hello?" I said.

_"Hey! Valerie?"_

My heart lurched into my stomach.

"A-ah, um, yes! This is she!"

_"Hey, this is Draco. I was just making sure, you didn't give me a... fake phone number or something..."_ He said quietly, sounding embarrassed.

I couldn't speak. Everything Valerie (real Valerie) and Ginny (before she had been cut off) had said to me made me feel quite speechless. Hundreds of thoughts flew through my head at once.

_"Um...you still there?"_

He sounded nervous now.

"Yes." I replied, "Sorry. How are you?"

_"I'm fine. Good actually."_ his reply came, _"I was actually just wondering if you wanted to go out to the Restaurant down the street from the tennis courts for dinner on Friday? The Cutlery? It's supposed to be really good, and they had a reservation open on that day..."_

My eyes widened in shock. A five star ultra, _ultra_ expensive Restaurant that only millionaires could afford. Even a dessert in that place cost somewhere in the thousands.

Before I could stop my mouth I heard the answer from my lips.

"Sure. I don't see any problem with that. I can talk to my boss and see if I can have the evening off of that night."

Malfoy sounded immensely relieved and cheerful (which is odd for Malfoy), _"Really? That's great! I could pick you up if you want, from your workplace...where do you work anyway?"_

And before I knew, I had told him where I worked, when he could pick me up, and he had given me his cell phone number.

And before I knew it, I had hung up.

And I was leaning against the wall faced with the dreaded truth.

I was going on a date with Draco Malfoy.

And he didn't know who I was.

He's positively far better behaved than before.

And no one is helping me in any way.

And I'm going on a date with Draco Malfoy.

Didn't I already think that?

Am I losing my mind?

**Oh my god. I'm sorry for such a boring chapter. But I guess we had to get some lame- oh stuff out of the way before the real fun begins.**

**Ginny's personality I am disappointed in. I wanted to be more of the book Ginny than I had typed her in this story. I like book Ginny better...**

**I disappoint myself D=**

**Right! Next chapter! Draco and Hermione go to an expensive restaurant, and learn a few secrets about each other.**

**But anyway, you guys are amazing. Thank you for reading, and putting my story in your reviews! I am fueled by your enthusiasm =D**

**Read and Review please, and don't spare any criticism on the story that you may have. **

**And Ron's not dead, btw. (-gasp- zOMG)**

**Later Dearies ^^**


	3. Dinner with Draco

**I tried to reply to everyone's comments -thank you everyone for the awesome comments :)- and if I sent you a comment reply twice, well, sorry about that XD**

**Update: The chapter is posted a day after the day after the day after the day it was intended to be posted. Aw, crap. I'm sorry everyone D=**

**I must say, I'm proud of this story. It's one of the very few stories I've written were ideas just pop into my head. You see, I have a pretty small brain... ;D**

**I have a lot of crazy surprises coming up, so hopefully you'll be...surprised! =D**

**ROFL. Hermione keeps referring to Malfoy with his whole name.**

**Enjoy ^^**

Thursday had come.

Thursday had come and Draco Malfoy was coming to pick me up in less than an hour.

And I wasn't ready.

_'This...this is crazy...'_

I nervously wrung my hands in my lap as I sat upon my duvet covering. I had been reflecting upon this day for so long that that headaches had prevented me from completing my usual amount of work. This was _crazy_. I couldn't live, eat, breathe, talk, think, work, sleep like a normal human because _Draco Malfoy _had asked me out on a _date_.

Wait, no. Not a _date_. Just a dinner between two...acquaintances. He had said it himself, so why am I stuck dreading the fact that it really is a date?

Because...because he's taking me to _The Cutlery. _The most expensive restaurant in the_ city. _Five star ratings and everything. It was top-of-the-line, top-of-the-charts.

But I'm just scaring myself. This is _Draco Malfoy_. Rich prissy boy who was better than everyone else. Of _course_ he'd be able to afford to take someone to a restaurant like this and treat it as casual as going to the Drive-thru at McDonalds.

But...he wasn't prissy anymore. At least from what I saw anyway. He was a lot nicer...

But what if he had always been like that? Nice only to the people that he chose worthy? What if he found out he wasted his money on Hermione Granger? The girl from Gryffindor he had always detested? What would happen next? How would he react? What would he do? I closed my eyes as nervous tinges flowed through my abdomen all the way up to my stomach. Great. First a headache, now a stomachache. I picked up a pillow and hugged it to my stomach in spite of nerves.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Maybe...maybe he really did change. And then my eyes flew open and a thought struck me.

Why's he in the Muggle world to begin with?

"It's odd..." I murmured to myself as I paced back and forth. Crookshanks came in and examined me with his yellow tiger-like eyes before he jumped up onto my desk chair and began grooming himself, "It's odd that I see Malfoy in a Muggle city, whereas he had bragged constantly about being a pureblood. I mean, I don't think he would have been very happy at all living with non-magic people in the first place. Did something happen? Perhaps they...no, or else he wouldn't have been able to afford the restaurant we're going to tonight..."

I began to pace back and forth. Sometimes when I could not think clearly, I would stand up and pace while talking out loud to myself. It's helped me arrange my ideas and thoughts more thoroughly. And right now my brain was working at top speed.

"If he really has changed, what has made him change to such a dramatic degree? Did something happen...something must have...considering someone doesn't just _change_ without reason a lot..."

I stopped in front of Crookshanks who stopped grooming and stared back at me.

"Maybe he's been Confounded?"

Crookshanks meowed and continuing grooming.

"Okay. Fine, you're right. Dumb idea. But...really. Why? Why would he ask someone he's never met before to an expensive restaurant for no apparent reason, except to say he's 'apologizing'? I mean, who does that?"

The answer was beyond me.

I ran my hands through my hair. Though most people wouldn't have found this a great big huge colossal deal like I was, I couldn't help myself from getting upset. Draco Malfoy was so rude and mean. His morals were based upon that in which only the best and the richest and the fanciest would succeed. And then suddenly one day he runs into a Muggle and _bam!_ Just like that he's the nicest gentleman in the entire planet. Did even _flinch_ at the site of a Mudblood. What if this was a date? What if he _knew_ who I was, but was setting this all up as some sort of prank? What if he wants to do more after this? What if he...wants to get involved with me?

I turned and looked in the mirror. My eyes had become wide and I looked like I had just walked out of some horror movie. I forced myself to take deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

No. There is _nothing_ between us. I didn't feel anything when I saw him. Except maybe, shock and fear. No chemistry, no dreamy eyes, nothing. He said that this dinner was an apology from himself because he shared his deepest regrets upon hitting me with a tennis ball. Though ridiculous, this may be one of the most nicest way to see you're sincerely sorry. And -I took a deep breath preparing myself- if he really is into me and wants more to happen between us after tonight...

I looked over at a small book that lay on the table. I stared at it for a few moments then turned away.

I'll kindly decline. Begin rejected is a part of life, and always will be. Besides, the worst I could possibly say to him is no. I have my reasons. And he may have his.

And we'll move on with life like nothing ever happened. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll never find out who 'Valerie' really is.

There's nothing more to it.

And, I can just play along. I can be someone totally different tonight. It's only one night. I'm only going to see him for an hour. Maybe two.

I glanced over at the clock and I nearly jumped. It was 20 minutes until Malfoy was going to come and pick me up.

I ran over to my closet and tore it open. Though I was not looking forward to tonight, being late to _anything _was just plain mortifying. And this was somewhere etiquette. I was supposed to look my best.

Obviously a dress with jewelry, and my hair was supposed to be all dolled-up too.

Several times I ran up to the mirror with a dress in hand, placed in front of my body to examine it, sigh in frustration and throw it on my bed. Everything I had was hardly far from work specific. Everything had the important, busy, crisp look. I couldn't go to a dinner looking like I was about to throw down my corporate opponents in the stock market.

As I pushed aside a rack of tailored, knee-length skirts a thought struck me.

_Wait..._

I ran over to the side of my bed and got down to my knees in front of it and looked underneath. I pushed aside several old magical spell books I had kept stowed away and after pushing aside the old cauldron I had used in Potions I found it.

A white box with fancy silver cursive written on top of it. I pulled it out and ran my hand over the top of the box before opening. I had only opened this once before, and that felt like years ago..

I lifted the top off of the box and placed it down beside me. I reached my hand in and pulled out a bundle wrapped in white tissue paper. My heart pounded hopelessly as I removed it.

Lying in my arms was a dress. It was wine colored V-necked knee length dress with ruffled short sleeves. It was made of chiffon and silk, and had the quality of a dress that only a Queen would deserve. I rubbed my forefinger and thumb together, feeling the smoothness. I had received it as a gift from my mother shortly after I had graduated from Hogwarts. It was an exclusively protocol dress that I had never imagined I would ever in my lifetime wear. Yet the guilt of my mom buying such an expensive dress for me had left me with no choice but to keep it in a box underneath my bed. It was now or never. I stood up and let it drop down to its full length. Even though I hadn't touched it for at least two years, the dress remained spotless and clean with not a single crinkle in it from where it had been folded. It probably had an enchantment placed upon it. Relief flooded through me. It was like a miracle I had something to go to such a place without looking like a complete fool. Hurriedly I put it on and found it fit my body rather well. It seemed to hug my body as if it had been tailored especially for me. This was another enchantment, I was sure of it. I placed my hands on my hips and looked at myself in the mirror. I was amazed. I had never worn such a piece of clothing where I didn't find anything to criticize about it. I had no doubt in my mind it was _another_ spell that had been cast upon it to make it flawless. Though I would have found this a time saver, I huffed slightly, disappointed that I had no such errors to spot and fix.

I turned around and found a pair of high heels that I slid on. They weren't the fanciest, but they would do with the dress. Then I placed my hands up to my hair. Looking in the mirror, I did find that there was one thing that bothered me. My hair, which was up in a bob, didn't quite look right with the dress. I laced my fingers onto the hair tie and pulled at it. My hair fell out into a series of highly glossed, springy curls. I stared at myself in the mirror and felt my mouth open in shock. I had hardly _ever_ worn my hair down because of the unmanageable frizz I had to deal with. Nearly every day, if I didn't have time to straighten it, I would just place it in a simple up-do, but this...this was just absurd.

I felt my hair and admired it's smoothness. This obviously was also a part of the dress's enchantment. I was so sure of it. I no longer felt the irony of my mom buying me such a thing for a lost cause. It's like she _knew_ it would come in handy someday. I felt myself smile.

A sudden knock at the apartment door made me jump nearly a foot in the air. Oh god. He was _here_. I took three deep breathes and walked over to the door. I closed my eyes for a few seconds before opening it.

Draco Malfoy stood before me in a black tuxedo with a pearl white tie. His hair had been combed and he stood before me with a small smirk on his face.

"Hey."

I felt his eyes search me and I felt my face turn bright red in embarrassment. I only managed a meek, 'Hi.' before lowering my gaze.

"That's a really nice dress."

I smiled weakly. I looked up to see that he had a pink tinge to his cheeks.

"T-thank you...er...you...look nice...also..."

It was a lame comment, and I felt my face turn a brighter red. I prepared myself for an awkward silence when instead I saw him smile a little.

"Really? I didn't really know what to wear..." He looked at his watch, "So...I guess...we should go?"

I nodded and stepped forward, but no until Crookshanks meowed and walked up weaving himself around my legs. I felt my stomach clench in terror. If he recognized Crookshanks now, it would all be over.

I looked up at him but I only saw amusement in his eyes,

"Looks like he's jealous that I'm stealing his girlfriend." he said jokingly, though at the last part his eyes found mine, and I saw something in them I couldn't describe. I leaned over scooping Crookshanks up into my arms before he could see how red my face had become. I was relieved yet agitated at the same time. Relieved that he hadn't recognized Crookshanks, but agitated at what he had just said. _Surely_, I thought as I placed Crookshanks on my bed and grabbed my clutch purse before closing the door, _surely he didn't mean anything about that._

We walked beside each other at a respective distance, but I could feel his eyes on me every so often. I stared straight ahead, my mind completely blank. I had nothing to say, and he was not probing me for any questions, nor was he persisting a conversation between us. Oddly, our silence between us didn't feel awkward at all. So we continued walking in silence until we reached his car.

I stopped and stared at it. No doubt he would own something really flashy. A black Bentley that gleamed in the streetlights. He walked ahead of me and held open the passenger door for me.

I smiled courteously at him. His polite attitude was certainly catching onto me. I sat down inside and a few seconds later he was on the driver's side. I couldn't help feeling awed.

"This is...a really nice car." I said softly.

He grinned and started the engine,

"Thanks. Took me a while a to learn how to drive it..."

I gave him a questioning look and then he said a bit discomfited, "I, er, failed my driving test about four times..."

"Really?" I said out loud. I was rather amazed. Then I hastily added, "I-I mean, you just seem like...the type of person...who would..."

"Pass the exam on the first try? You don't know how many times I've gotten that. My father had mentioned it to me quite a few times, and you know...parents can be a little..._annoying_ after a while."

He was talking about Lucius Malfoy. Something about the way he had addressed his parents at _annoying_ made it seem that there was much more behind what he had meant than what he was implying.

I nodded my agreement and watched out the windshield as we continued driving.

It was a few minutes later that we arrived to the restaurant. Malfoy pulled up to the entrance, which was a half-circle driveway and stopped the car. He looked at me and smiled slightly, and I smiled back before realizing that the muscles in my mouth had acted without my brain's approval. He stepped out of the car and walked over to my side and pulled open the door for me as I stepped out. I stared up at the restaurant. Top class. A place where celebrities would eat. I really wasn't getting used to the fact that I was going to be eating here. That I was going to be eating here next to Draco Malfoy. I held my clutch purse close to myself as if reacting to a nervous attack. I always seemed to hold myself closer when something disrupted my normal everyday life routine. I turned and watched him give his keys to the Valet and hand him some money before he turned back into my direction. He smiled at me and I nearly choked from being so anxious. I looked down at my purse and fumbled with it slightly to have something to do. Finally, what felt like forever, he reached my side.

"You ready?"

I looked up at him and nodded slightly. We stepped up the stairs together and one of the uniformed guards placed a hand in front of Draco. The guard easily outstood Malfoy by at least a foot, which gave him a very intimidating atmosphere. But Draco stared back calmly and opened his mouth to speak.

"Malfoy, Draco, and Thompson, Valerie. "

The other guard consulted a list and nodded. The first guard moved aside and opened the door, allowing them to enter,

"Welcome back, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco nodded at the guard and they stepped inside.

Large windows draped in red velvet curtains were illuminated by the golden glow of the lights from the large crystallized chandeliers. The floor was checkered with black and white tiles. A red velvet carpet led the way up to a spiral iron staircase. Over to the side of the staircase was a large room in which I could hear the sound of silverware clinking against plates, and people talking.

"Wow...this is...amazing..." I was stunned. The place was so beautiful on the inside.

Draco nodded, then pointed upward to the staircase. "You'll have to watch your step. They didn't place elevators in this place for the people that wanted to eat on the balcony."

I turned at stared at him.

"Balcony...?"

Oh geez. And I thought we were eating in the room to the side of the staircase.

He nodded,

"You know I just wanted to apologize thoroughly."

Uh oh.

"N-no, this is too much, it really is-"

He turned toward me and silenced me with a stare. A look of apathy was on his face. It took me back for a second.

"I insist."

"Uh..." I blinked stupidly, not sure of what to say, "O-okay..."

He smiled slightly and began walking up the stairs. I followed behind him. As we ventured upward I could hear the sound of a piano playing quietly. My hand glided against the railing as we went upward around, around, and around again, until finally we got to the top where two doors blocked us from going any farther. Another man stood outside the door, but he was dressed more like a butler rather than a guard. The man looked up and smiled at Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy."

Draco nodded back,

"Hello Isaac."

The butler smiled and opened the door for us. He ushered us forward. For some reason, I felt like I had to wait for permission to step forward because of the degree of courteous manner being presented at the restaurant. I looked at Draco with an uncertain look on my face, but he simply smiled and waved his hand toward the door.

"After you."

I stepped forward onto the balcony and I was taken aback by what I saw. A table for two sat on the balcony overlooking what seemed like the whole city. Over to the side, a woman sat playing a piano in a slow, rhythmic tune. Draco walked forward and pulled out a chair for me. I hurriedly sat down feeling overwhelmed. He sat down opposite of me.

"Not really what you expected, huh?"

"Wow...I-..wow...what a view..."

He smiled, satisfied, and raised two fingers as if signaling to someone. A moment later, a waiter walked up with a towel draped over his arm.

"Yes, Monsieur?" A waiter with a French accent asked looking expectedly toward us.

"Two glasses with your finest wine, please."

"Oh no, no. I don't drink-"

"I insist." Draco cut me off with a smile before I could say anything else. He nodded toward the waiter who walked off.

I looked down. I was trapped with Draco Malfoy on a balcony, and was being forced to drink alcohol against my will.

In a sense, he was still a complete jerk.

The waiter came back with breadsticks and some fancy garlic dip, and two wine glasses in which he filled up to the brim. He then left us alone again. Draco leaned forward and raised his wine glass toward me.

"Cheers?"

I watched him warily, unsure of what to do.

He simply smiled,

"Come on, it's just one glass. It's not like it's going to hurt you."

"Easy for you to say." I heard myself say sarcastically as I picked up my glass and touched his with mine. Though I hadn't been intending upon it, my mouth broke into a smile. I placed the wine glass to my lips and decided to take a sip.

I nearly gagged.

I placed the glass back on the table and begin coughing, but I found at the same time I was giggling too. My nervousness was so overwhelming to be that I suddenly was going into hysterics. I covered my hand with my mouth and tried to conceal the wine that began dribbling down my chin, so  
I hastily grabbed for a napkin and wiped my mouth off.  
"Oh...oh my...I'm...I'm so sorry..." I placed my napkin down and looked up to see he was watching me with bewildered, yet amused look on his face.

"Are you alright?"

I took a deep breath and tried to control myself. I myself was bewildered at my sudden outburst.

"Yes, I'm fine...you don't think...that this drink is spiked do you?"

I coughed and my face turned red. I couldn't believe I said something so stupid, so serious. Draco's eyes widened and he burst out laughing. It was my turn to watch with a bewildered look on my face. After a moment he stopped laughing, but a hint of humor seemed to remain in his eyes.

"Wow, you're more amusing than I thought."

I smile slightly, unable to resist.

"Wine tastes awful."

"Yeah, well it's considered one of the finer things in life, so I guess even though it tastes horrible, it's still one of the finer things in life."

I watched him take another sip and I grimaced.

"_How_ can you drink that stuff?" It really tastes awful.

He shrugs and puts his glass down and begins running his finger over the rim of it,

"I guess you sort of get used to the taste after a while. Besides, this wine's famous!"

I stick my tongue out and find myself smiling at the same time. He smiles back at me.

"What do you do in your meantime, aside from playing tennis?" I add jokingly.

He makes a face at me,

"Well, nothing really...not yet. I just moved here, so I'm trying to get used to everything here. You know, learn my surroundings."

He leans forward and rests his head on his hand and I feel myself lean forward also. We probably looked like we were exchanging secrets. The piano music in the background began playing a different song.

"So," he said addressing me, "What do _you_ do in your meantime?"

I shrug and suddenly feel stupid.

"Nothing really. I just...work...a lot?"

He snorts.

"Really? No way."

I feel a surge of irritation toward him for a moment at the sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes, I happen to like work."

"Hmmm..." He studies me, apparently taking no notice to my change of tone, "Yes, you do seem like someone that would..."

I stop for a second, trying to think.

"Huh?"

He looks at me in my eyes again,

"You do seem like someone that would work. It's just that...professional look that you have."

"Oh..." I felt a little flattered by this, "Thank you...I guess?"

He smiles,

"Take it as a compliment. I don't meet a lot of women with confidence like yours."

My face goes red at the double compliment. Him and I continue staring at each other for a moment before I realize what I'm doing. I cough slightly and pull back. He does too, with an odd look in his eyes like he didn't really know where he was. I stare down at my lap, my face burning.

What...just happened?

The waiter walks back up to us with two menus, that feel as if they're outlined with silk and velvet and we both take this as a diversion not to look at each other. But once I open the menu I can't resist breaking the silence.

"T-t-the...the prices!" I say weakly.

He smirks at me and catches my eye for a moment.

"Don't worry about the price. Go crazy. Get anything you want."

I stare at him feeling scandalized.

"Trust me, it's all on me."

I huff, and for a split second, I think I see a hint of a smile on his face as he watched me but I look back at the menu, pretending it was just my imagination.

"Fine, Mr. _Perfect_."

He chuckles slightly.

"I think I'm far from perfect. But seriously, don't hold back."

I spy on him from over my menu for a moment then decide to not hold back. I consider this as my revenge of all those years at Hogwarts.

When the waiter walks back I wait to hear what Draco's going to order, to possibly, out-order him. But instead.

"I'll have the regular."

The waiter nods then turns to me.

_So much for that plan..._

I smile as gracefully as possible.

"I'll have the Kobe beef with a L'Osier salad, please."

He nods, "Anything else?"

I shake my head, and he walks off. Draco looks at me and I look expectedly back.

"That's it?"

I felt my face go red, once again.

"What do you mean 'that's it?'"

He shrugged then leaned back, casually hanging an arm over the side of his chair.

"That's rather cheap."

I snorted,

"Cheap. Eight hundred-forty five dollars cheap."

"And don't' forget the salad."

"Okay! Nine hundred forty-five dollars. But still..." I said eyeing him, "You seem to know these people."

He shrugged, "I eat here a lot."

I raise my eyebrows, "What? For lunch?"

He smiles.

And that's where I found myself. Talking to Draco Malfoy as if he was the easiest person in the whole entire world to make a conversation with. In a sense, he _was_. I found myself talking, and joking with him, forgetting about everything else. When our food arrived I hardly put much thought into eating because of how much fun it is to finally talk to someone that doesn't consider me a boring person. I had completely forgotten I was talking to Draco Malfoy. I had completely forgotten all of my troubles. I was just talking to someone. I was just talking to someone who was really fun to talk to.

And apparently...

he felt the same.

I leaned forward to grab a breadstick after I finished my meal and my hand brushed against his. I shot backward into my seat with my eyes wide and my heart thumping in my chest. He also looked quite startled.

"I-I'm sorry!" I said my whole body filling awkward, and I looked around wildly, as if trying to figure out how I had gotten there in the first place.

He lowered his gaze, and I couldn't see his expression but I heard him quietly murmur.

"S'fine..."

And once again, we were stuck in an awkward silence. I looked up and opened my mouth.

"I just...want to ask you something..."

He looked up also, and I asked him the question that had been bothering me ever since I had seen him that day on the tennis court.

"I...this is all so much...too much for me. Yes, I _know_ you insisted," I added and he grinned. I continued, "But, just...what _did_ make you go and ask a girl you hardly knew to a dinner that cost as much as a car?"

Though I was lying at the whole "hardly knew" part, it was better to just play along. Suddenly a look of utter seriousness overcame Draco's face, and I was afraid that I had asked the wrong question. I opened my mouth again.

"I-I'm sorry, I should not have asked-"

"No, it's alright." He said looking up at me. Just then at that moment, I realized we hadn't said each other's names at all the entire night. I don't know why I suddenly thought of that.

"There was...a girl I once knew. And she looked...just like you."

My insides froze. He was talking about _me_. Me in school. Hermione me. I could only nod as I struggled to breathe.

"And I was...I _am_ a jerk. But, I...I finally realized that how I acted was just wrong. I had put her through so many things because of what a jerk and coward I was. And I thought it was _funny_." He practically spat the last word.

"I felt remorse, and only want to apologize to her, tell her how sorry I was, but by the time I was going to..."

He trailed off and I couldn't help myself,

"What happened?" I said quietly. It was weird to hear Draco talk about something like this.

He looked at me again as if realizing I was sitting there.

"She was gone. I couldn't find her anymore. And I had no idea where she went. So she never knew how...how sorry I really was."

There was a moment's silence. My brain racked with a million thoughts. Draco had wanted to apologize? He wanted to apologize to me for everything that had happened? He had felt remorse? This was a moment in a million that I had never, _ever_ expected to hear. This was like the word turning over. I felt a huge rush of affection toward Draco. He wouldn't have had, after all, acted the way I had thought he would if he had found out who I really was. He really had changed.

"So this dinner...you could say...is an apology, not only to you, but to her."

I looked up at him, still at a loss for words.

He looked at me and ran a hand through his hair.

"This is...really absurd. And stupid. I'm an idiot. I'm doing something really stupid, aren't I?"

My words came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"No...no. I think what you're doing is...it's very noble!"

I blushed for the hundredth time. _Noble?_ So Draco was a Knight on top of a horse with a shining sword now?

But instead he smiled. He looked the happiest that I had seen him ever seen I had met him. He looked like a large burden had been lifted off of him.

"You really think so?"

I nodded, and once again my voice came before my thoughts.

"Yeah...I'm sure you'll see her again someday."

He looked hopeful to this, but something flickered in his eyes as he watched me.

"You really think so?"

I nodded but inside I felt weird. As if he knew something.

The shock of him admitting that he had felt remorse toward the girl in his school years, and only wanted to apologize for all that he had done left me in a kind of paranoia. It just felt weird, that he didn't know I was that girl, and that he was apologizing to the girl he wanted to apologize to in the first place. Despite that, all went well, we left _The Cutlery_ without incident and he drove me back to my apartment as we talked once again about various things. Though I was only half there. I still couldn't believe--couldn't even grasp, that he had wanted to apologize.

He walked me up to the apartment door and we stood outside staring at each other.

"Do you want me to call you again sometime? Maybe we can go out and eat somewhere else. You're pick."

I smiled gratefully at him and without thinking, I nodded.

He smiled and turned away and began walking down the steps. I turned toward the door and felt a small breeze wisp slightly through my hair.

"Good night, Hermione."

My hand froze on the door knob and I turned around.

"What did you say?"

But there was no one in sight. The place where Draco's car had been just a minute earlier was gone.

**Jrdudjdlasjfdl;ajksdou :D **

**Finally! I'm done with this chapter! Took me long enough -mutters disapproval to herself-**

**Though this was one of my hardest chapters to write so far (and also my **_**longest**_**) it was probably the most fun xD**

**Just the fact that Hermione was flirting with Draco and wasn't aware of it at all. I find them to be such a foolish, adorable couple :D**

**I plan on maybe, possibly editing this chapter in the future...someday...I hope people didn't find it confusing D; If you don't understand something in the chapter, feel completely free to email me with a question/request.**

**But yes, we must always move onward!**

**A/N: About the ****L'Osier Salad...lol. I had typed in my earlier version of this chapter that Hermione had ordered, "Salad A La Mode" And then I realized how stupid that was. Salad with Ice Cream, haha! I had to look up the name of food xD**

**Please don't ask me what '** **L'Osier' means. Because I don't know either :3 It's got something to do with food...it sounds like a fancy French version of 'Loser'**

**Thank you everyone for reading ^^**


	4. A Discovery

**Ahh...on to Chapter 4 already? I'm feeling good :D**

**It took me a while to write chapter three so I decided to take a short break. But I'm back :D**

**Also, a note about the last chapter that I forgot to mention. I envisioned the piano music that was playing while Draco and Hermione ate dinner together to sound like this song:**

**A Love Suicide - Rule of Rose OST**

**You should all look it up. Not that I'm forcing you or anything, but it's a really good visual (IMO), and an awesome song ;D**

**Construction Criticism welcome.**

**Enjoy!**

I stood on the opposite side of the room, staring at the boy who had his back turned away from me toward the wall. His red hair seemed illuminated at the top of his head. I clutched a bundle in my arms closer to my chest.

_It couldn't be..._

I began walking. As I continued walking toward him from across the room, with every step he seemed to be getting farther away as I grew closer. I opened my mouth but no sound came out. I stumbled slightly and my walk broke into a run.

_Ron!_

"Where is it?!"

I stopped startled.

_What..._

He was...glaring...at me...

"Where is it?!"

I opened my mouth and finally words came out.

"Where's what? Ron, y-you're not making any-"

"So that's it, huh? You've forgotten about me _already_. After _everything _that happened... "

"N-no Ron! Please, I don't know what you're talking about-"

My eyes widened. I _did_ know what he was talking about. I felt the bundle in my arms, which was wrapped in a velvety blanket. I sank down to my knees and pulled off the blanket to find...

Nothing.

My breath caught in a gasp and I couldn't breathe. It was as if my arms had only been holding air.

I looked up to find Ron still standing before me, glowering down.

I began shaking my head frantically,

"No...no no no...please...it's not... I _had _it-You-you don't just _lose_ something like _this_-"

I was stumbling over my words, but I couldn't stop them from coming out of my mouth.

"That's it isn't it? You've given it to _him_. You love him. And you've forgotten about me. Then I..."

I reached my hand out and tried to grab his. My hands flowed right through his like mist. He turned away and began disappearing into the darkness.

"...Then I should just forget about you..."

And he was gone.

"No..." I stumbled to my feet and began running toward where he had disappeared, "No! Ron! Please! I still have it! Please! Please believe me!"

"RON!"

My eyes shot open and I was laying in my bed. My breath was coming in loud gasps as if I had just ran as fast as I could. I tried to move, but found that my body was tangled up in the sheets. I twisted myself out of them and fell to the floor. Ignoring the pain in my knees, I frantically rushed over to my dresser and pulled open the bottom drawer. I groped around in the dark until I felt it. That same bundle of velvety blanket lay wrapped around something. I pulled it out and in utter panic I ripped off the velvet letting it fall to the floor.

I held a book. My grip tightened around it since my hands were shaking so hard I could hardly hold it. I had it with me. I hadn't lost it...it was just a dream...

I looked up at my alarm clock.

_2:07 a.m...._

I bowed my head as tears blurred my vision. I clutched the book to my chest and felt my whole body break into sobs.

---

"Whoa! Just-whoa! Someone looks like they're experiencing a _hangover_!"

I ran a hand through my hair. When I had woken up again at six thirty, I had noticed that my eyes were rather red from my late night...disturbance. Bags had developed under them also. Not only had I woken up late, but I hadn't bothered to really put on much of an effort for today. My uniform was slightly wrinkled and my hair was a mess as it hung down.

"No, seriously. If you need someone to hold back your hair when you go to throw up in the bathroom, you can _totally_ count on me."

I groaned and placed my head in my hands. I wasn't in the mood to work today. Without thinking, I stood up from where I was sitting. Valerie jumped up excitedly next to me.

"Do you have to throw up now?!"

I stared at her for a few seconds.

"Um...yeah...yeah. I might just...blow chunks...any second..."

And I turned around and walked away as fast as I could. Without thinking, I went into the bathroom and locked myself into a stall. This day was going _way_ too fast. It was like I was spinning around in circles and I just kept getting dizzier and dizzier. I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. Something was wrong and I didn't know what to do. After a moment, without thinking, I pulled out my cell phone and called the only person I could think of.

Ginny.

Surely, I thought, they would be home from Bill and Fleur's by now. I tapped my foot nervously as the phone rang continuously on the other end.

_"Hello? Hermione?"_

I nearly dropped the phone. I hadn't fully expected Ginny to answer.

"Hey, uh, hey Ginny..."

_"Hermione, hey what's up-- Aren't you supposed to be at work? Are you in a... bathroom?"_

I felt myself roll my eyes as a toilet nearby flushed and covered the mouthpiece of my phone to block out anymore noise.

"Er, yeah, I kind of am. Listen though, I need your help."

_"Sure, anything. What's up?"_

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I had no idea where to start. I suddenly felt too overwhelmed to speak.

_"Hello?"_

"I-I'm still here. I'm sorry Ginny. I don't really know where to start..."

_"Then let me start for you. How was your time with Draco?"_

I started for a second, then reminded myself that Ginny had known about that, though I haven't seen or heard from Draco in almost a week since the dinner we had together. Ashamed of myself, I couldn't help feeling...disillusioned. I couldn't seem to shake him from my mind, and the last few minutes when he had said goodbye had caused a sort of...atypical awareness in me. I felt that something was so out of place...

"It was...it was really nice. He really has changed. I was surprised..." I trailed off staring up at the ceiling.

_"So it was nice, wasn't it?"_

"Uh...what?" I said breaking out of my trance.

_"Being out with Draco. Remember I told you if he was a jerk-"_

I shook my head.

"Ginny, I'm...I'm awful..."

There was a moment's silence.

_"What are you talking about?"_

"I'm talking about-" I grabbed some of my hair in frustration. I felt deranged. "I'm talking about...I don't think I should have gone with him. This is all my fault if anything else happens, and I think something may-"

_"Oh, Hermione..."_

I paused for a second. Her note of gentle airiness gave me a touch of irritation. I didn't want to feel like I was being talked to like a five-year-old.

"What?"

_"Hermione. Please. Listen to me. If anything_ does_ happen, please, I'm sure that Ron would've only wanted you to be happy. I knew him Hermione, he was my brother-"_

"And I know him too." I cut in coldly without thinking, "And I don't intend on anyone telling me what will make him or I happy. It is my decision to make. "

There was another moment of awkward silence, and I felt a huge amount of guilt overcome within me.

"I'm...I'm sorry Ginny...I didn't mean-"

_"It's okay." _Ginny brushed it off briskly, _"I knew you two loved each other. I guess I shouldn't have said such things. I'm sorry too."_

"N-no...it's...nothing...I just...overreacted..."

_"I bet it was nice though..." _Ginny continued as if nothing had happened ,_ " Going to a five-star restaurant and everything..."_

I leaned back against the wall again and sighed, "Yeah, I couldn't believe that he had taken me to such a place..."

I straightened myself up so abruptly that I almost lost my balance. When had...?

"Ginny...?"

There was a sound like a small gasp on the other end, then Ginny's voice came out muffled as if she was covering her mouth.

_"Oh shit."_

"Ginny?" I said feeling slightly puzzled. I could've sworn I hadn't told anyone_ anything_. I began talking again slowly to pronounce every word. "How did you know...that I went to a restaurant with Draco...?"

Before Ginny spoke I heard her giggle slightly, which sounded extremely nervous.

_"Oh, you know. Well- usually when two people, you know, go out, they usually, you know, go to a restaurant. I mean, it's not all that uncommon-I just _guessed_ since Draco usually eats there..."_

There was a horrified silence between both of us.

"How...how do you know that?" I said quietly. I must be losing my mind. I don't remember when I had told her such things. I could have sworn I was just _about_ to tell her...unless...

Unless someone else had told her.

"Ginny..."

Something was going on. Something only _I_ didn't know about.

And apparently everyone else did.

"Ginny, what's going on?" I said trying to keep my voice from shaking. I was utterly confused.

On the other end, I heard Ginny exhale as if she had been holding her breath.

_"Listen, Hermione. I don't think I should be...I should go now-"_

"No, Ginny! What's going on! Please! I'm your best friend, aren't I?"

There was a silence, and I bit my lower lip.

_"Hermione...I really don't-"_

I stomped my foot in frustration and suddenly felt like a little kid.

"Ginny, please!"

_"...Alright. Hermione, please don't be angry...a few months ago, Draco contacted me-"_

"He what?!"

My neatly organized world was slowly crumbling down.

_"Please listen Hermione." _Ginny was now the one pleading, _"He had changed, just like you had said! He apologized, and he said that he wanted to know where you were. I mean, we _all_ were very distrustful at first, but he just kept telling us that he just wanted to apologize. He really does feel bad for everything he-"_

I was hardly listening. I began to rub my head with my free hand, "You told him...where I was..."

_"Er, yes. But, Hermione, he's kept in touch and everything...Hermione...?"_

My hand with the cell phone in it now hung limply at my side. My eyes where wide and I held a hand over my mouth resisting the urge to throw up for real.

Draco Malfoy had known who I really was all along.

I felt my other hand tighten into a fist. What a _jerk._ He had just been playing along the entire time to make me look like an idiot. I raised my phone back up to my ear.

"Where is he?"

_"Uh...what? Hermione, what do you mean? You aren't actually thinking of going to his apartment are you?"_

"Watch me." I said with cold determination. "So he lives in an apartment? That sums it down to about 5,000 of them in this city alone."

And I was willing to visit every one of them.

_"Hermione, I don't think you understand-"_

"I think I do Ginny. Tell me where he is. Now."

Ginny hesitantly told me where he was and I gave her a curt goodbye. As I walked out of the bathroom I saw Valerie standing on the other side of the door.

"Oh! You were gone for a while and I was just going to check up on you to see if you were all right- hey where are you going?!"

I had begun walking away. I had no intention of anything getting in my way.

"Valerie." I said to her when she had caught up to my brisk pace, "I'm sick. In fact, I'm terribly ill. I am going to go find something to take care of this illness before it gets worse. For now, I am going home until I get better. "

And I shoved open the doors of the office with all my might before anyone could get a second opinion in.

When I got to my car, I pulled out the keys and shoved them into the lock. I threw open the door and sat down. I started the car and drove off not even bothering to put on my seatbelt.

As I drove my hands tightened on the steering wheel until they turned a ghostly white. Rage was flowing through my entire body. I felt _used_. I felt like a toy for someone's _entertainment_. Never before had I felt this mad. And no one had bothered to tell me _anything_. They had all planned against me.

My anger easily numbed out my hurt and I focused all my mind on finding the apartment where Draco lived. Which wasn't hard. He just happened to live in the most expensive suites in the whole city, which...weren't really hard to miss. I stared up at the huge building and scoffed in disgust. I slammed my car door and walked right up to the entrance, expecting to have half a dozen guards tackle me in the process, in which to my surprise, did not happen. Usually such rich places had a sentry by every door.

"All for the better..." I murmured to myself. I slammed my hand against the Up button on the elevator. When the doors opened I pressed the button for the fourteenth floor a little _too _hard. But I didn't care. My anger was fueling me like some crazy stimulant. When I reached the fourteenth floor, I stepped off without looking up, and nearly knocked somebody over in the process. I continued walking anyway, glancing up only to look at the door numbers. I had memorized completely all of Ginny's directions and I remembered the room number the clearest of all. And finally I came to a stop in front of it. This was it. All my anger welled up inside of me, I knocked on the door.

I only had to knock twice before Draco opened the door. He had a phone up to his ear and was staring at me with a look of surprise on his face. After a moment of staring at each other, we both seemed to remember what we were originally doing.

"Uh...hey. I'll call you later okay?" And Draco hanged up the phone without moving his eyes away from me. After a moment's silence his entire face broke into a smirk and he opened his mouth to speak. But I was faster. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face.

Draco's eyes widened as he stumbled by the force and he placed a hand up to his reddening cheek. He looked up at me in shock as if expecting some explanation for such a cold greeting.

"You found the girl you were looking for," I said glaring up at him, "But I'm sure you already knew that."

**Ahhh, Hermione's wrath is not something to cross x3 Feels a bit nostalgic, doesn't it? Hermione slapping Draco (readPrisonerofAzkabanplz) And you know about how guards are sometimes standing outside of buildings? Yeah, I'm sure they would've been no match for Hermione :D**

**Ugh...everyone's so OOC. xD But I'm really happy that everyone likes the story. I can't express how flattered I am. I truly am. I thank you all!**

**And so we're on to the fifth chapter! Where many questions are answered! Until then, I hope you enjoyed the fourth chapter:)  
**


	5. Secret Feelings and Memories

**Hey guys! I'm back again! :)**

**Sorry for the long break! I was in Virginia for a while, and then I got all pissed because I lost my flow of the story...So yeah...This is about the third time I've re-typed this chapter.**

**...it's like...**

**f--k.**

**Oh well. Enjoy ^^**

So many clues. So many times, it had been right in front of my face...

Even Ginny...she had told me, though slightly indirectly, so many times and I still hadn't comprehended it?

Ginny knew about Draco all along. Draco knew about me all along.

Everyone else knew everything.

But me.

I knew nothing.

Even now, I stand before him, I feel so out of dimension. It's like I don't belong where I stand. The body I'm in isn't my body. I'm just here without an invitation.  
Why had it been such a matter of importance not to tell me anything?

Would I just have stood in the way?

Or would I have been a fool and try to encumber everyone because I thought I would understand something they wouldn't have?

Did I do something?

But this is ridiculous.

I can't just assume something I can't prove.

But...

Just because I couldn't always prove something didn't mean that it's...

I look up at Draco. He's watching me. But everything I had want to say seems to leave my mind. I'm speechless. All those thoughts filled my mind and left me without words to say.

I don't know what to do. My feelings of anger evaporated somewhere in the distance...

Instead I'm left feeling so...

So...

"You know...I'm Hermione...don't you?"

Draco looked away from me for the first time. It was as if he didn't want to answer that question.

And for some reason, I didn't want him to either.

He nods his head twice.

I feel my heart clench. But my mouth continues moving.

"I...thought something was strange from the start." I say slowly. My words feel thick. It's hard to talk. I'm having trouble breathing.

I don't know why.

"We'd only just met but you were already wanting to take me somewhere. Most people wouldn't..." I feel my words catch in my throat. I take a deep breath before continuing, "Most people wouldn't be so social to someone they'd just met...you knew from the beginning didn't you? That's why you approached me, right?"

For the first time, Draco turns back and looks at me and I suddenly understand why I can't speak. A tear slides down my cheek.

"...yeah..."

I'm crying.

Instinctively I move my hand to my face. I feel two tears land on my hand.

_Why?_

_Why am I crying?_

"Oh..." I say and hastily wipe at my eyes, "Right...I..."

_Is it because I feel so betrayed by everyone? Like I'm the odd one out?_

_Or is it..._

_It couldn't be..._

My heart clenches and I look up at Draco as I feel fear course through my veins. It's like time stops.

_No..._

I don't know what I'm doing. I begin to run. I don't know where I'm going. I'm running. Running away from Draco. I'm running away from my thoughts. I'm running so fast time doesn't exist. The only thing I can feel is my tears and the wind stinging my face. Maybe if I run fast enough I'll disappear.

Disappear somewhere. A world without complications. The perfect world...

_My hand feels so small compared to his. He always had unusually large hands. But the feeling of it makes me feel safe. Like a small concave place to be if I was scared or wanted to hide. I look over at him. He's still lying on his back, staring up at the sky. A small breeze comes by and pieces of his hair dance in the wind before settling back on his forehead. He notices me looking at him and he turns his head toward me and smiles._

_"You woke up..."_

_I nod and look away wiping my eyes as I sit up. I feel him sit up next to me._

_"What's wrong?" I hear him murmur quietly._

_I shake my head. It was just a dream. It wasn't anything of importance. But he squeezes my hand comfortingly and I feel safe again._

_"I..." I say quietly, "I really don't remember...but...I just felt so lonely and sad..."_

_I look at my hand slightly. Dreams like that puzzled me. Especially the ones were you woke up and could still feel sad or happy from them._

_"Maybe that was your dream."_

_"Huh?" I look up at him. Sometimes he doesn't make any sense._

_"Maybe that was your dream," He says and looks at me, "Maybe the dream was just loneliness and sadness. If that all you can remember, that's probably all it was."_

_I stare at him for a moment._

_"That's doesn't sound like you at all."_

_He makes a face that look like he's pretending to be offended. _

_"Why? Because most of the time I'm a complete idiot?"_

_I smile slightly and look down at the grass, choosing not to answer this. I feel his hand gently touch the back of my head and I lean into him, letting him envelop me in a hug._

_"Hey. I'm here, so you'll never feel lonely. And I'll comfort you so you'll never feel sad. But if I'm not, there's always someone who will be there. There's always someone somewhere."_

_I look up at him,_

_"That still doesn't sound like you."_

_He smiles at me._

I'm no longer in a memory. I can feel my sobs shaking my whole body. I can feel the cement pavement scrape against my knees. I clench my fists. I'm trying to catch my breath at the same time. Everything hurts. Everything hurts so bad. I just want it all to stop. But my tears keep falling.

"I found you..."

My breath intake is so sharp that I wince. I look up slowly. Draco's standing in front of me. He's breathing heavily, also trying to catch his breath. He begins walking toward me.

"You ran really far...and fast." He says with a slightly amused tone in his voice. I look back down at the pavement and keep my gaze fixed there.

"I hardly caught up to you..." I hear him say, "You must have really wanted to get away from me..."

Tears blur my vision and I let out a shaky breath. I can't run anymore. I don't want to. I give up.

I feel him wrap his arms around me.

My breath catches in my chest. My eyes widen. For a moment the tears stop.

"You're not alone...if that's what you think." He says quietly, "There's always someone somewhere..."

"...I'm sorry, Hermione."

Without thinking, I throw my arms around him and I feel the tears start all over again.

**Oh my...I'm done with this chapter. Ahhh, life is so short.**

**I want to thank author Arina Tanemura for making the book series **_**Fullmoon O Sagashite**_**. The other day I was so lost on how to write this chapter, I was in my bedroom and I picked up one of the volumes in the series and read through it. The storyline is very full of emotion such as losing the ones you love, and having to learn to deal with loving somebody else with all your heart. It's a really nice series and it gave me such a 'Eureka!' moment, because one of the chapters is of a girl confronting a boy that pretended he was somebody else, and didn't know her at all, when in reality he knew her all along. I felt a little ironic that my storyline was so similar, and it was such an accident!**

**So yes. Without me flipping through her book, I would have probably never have published a chapter 5 of Coleslaw. ;D haha, I love that name!**

**Please review and tell me all of your opinions or thoughts! I read every single one of your reviews and I take them all to heart! Believe me when I say, it really means something to me that everyone reviews such thoughtful/expressive things! I really can't thank all of you enough! Truly~**

**And if you couldn't figure out who Hermione was talking to in the memory, that was none other than dear old Ronald.**

Thank you for reading ^^


	6. Just a Little Confused

**-salutes everyone- okay, who wants to murder me first?! :D**

**My, it's been too long hasn't it? It's like a Fanfiction reunion!**

**Once again, thank you all readers, reviewers, and favoriters…ers…**

**Constructive Criticism is more than welcome.**

**Enjoy.**

"Regular or Decaf?"

I looked up from where I was sitting and saw Draco placing a kettle of tea on the stove.

"Um…" I said quietly, slowly. My voice cracked from it being so hoarse, "Regular…I guess…"

"Got it." I hear the sound of cabinet doors being opened and closed. I shiver slightly and wrap the blanket more tightly around me.

Draco and I had stayed in our embrace for a while, and when we had finally parted, he had wordlessly begun to guide me back to his apartment with one arm around me shoulder and the other fastened securely around my waist. Even though a part of me should have continued to yell and refuse to go with him, the other part surrendered and let him take me back. We hadn't said anything to each other on the way back, that is, if you don't include Draco occasionally telling me every few minutes that it was going to be okay and, to my embarrassment, the pitiful sniffle that I would sometimes make. Once back at his apartment, he had insisted on me taking a shower. I had refused at first, but when he practically demanded I take a shower, I reluctantly obliged. I never liked to use other people's house appliances. But I had come to a point that I really didn't think I could argue with Draco anymore. I had no fight left in me.

Once I was in his bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror, and grimaced at the sight. My eyes were bloodshot form the crying and the bags underneath them were slightly purplish. My clothing was muddy, and a part of my skirt had been ripped slightly. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were also dirty and skinned with dried blood on them. My knees weren't that pretty looking either. But probably the worst damage was my hair. It could have been dreads for all that I saw. It was tangled, and terribly frizzy. I was thankful that I had a hair tie in my skirt pocket; I was going to need it. When I stepped into the shower I winced at the sudden pain as the warm water ran over my skinned hands and knees. But after a while, the pain ebbed away to a dull throb and I tilted my head back and sighed, closing my eyes. Despite everything that had happened, my mind was oddly empty. Al I was really focused on was getting clean, getting out of the shower, and—

My eyes widened and I felt myself grow cold as I remembered something important I had forgotten. Something essential. I had no extra clothing, and the only pair of clothing I had was covered in mud and completely torn up. At that point, I had no idea what I was going to do. I would either A) finish my shower, and put the dirty clothing back on or B) go out and tell Draco that I needed some clothing to borrow. Both ideas were completely mortifying. I grabbed the loofah that Draco had given me and began furiously scrubbing myself clean as a way to distract myself.

By the end of my shower, I had decided that I would go out and tell Draco that I needed to borrow some clothing. _'No big deal,'_ I thought to myself as I grabbed the shower curtain to pull it back, _'I'll just yell to him through the door. I mean, it's not like he'll _see_ me or anything. I'll just tell him I need to borrow some of his clothing. I mean, not embarrassing at all…'_

But when I pulled back the curtain, I saw, to my utter surprised, a small neat stack of clothing lying on top of the counter. I knew that they hadn't been there whenever I had first gotten into the shower. Before my mind started jumping to conclusions, I remembered where both he and I came from. He probably most likely conjured up a spell that placed the clothing in the bathroom. I reached out and picked up the top piece on the pile and stared at the pajama pants. They were obviously Draco's. I flushed slightly at this. So I _did _end up borrowing his clothing. When I slipped on the pants, they were so loose they almost fell off. I quickly tied the drawstring and slipped on the hoodie provided. Not that he was so much taller than I was, but certainly a size or two bigger. The hoodie hung down past my waist, but I didn't really mind. Compared to the clothing I usually had to wear for work, it felt comfortable, warm…cozy…

I shook my head and continued drying my hair with the towel. After I finished, I had hung the towel on the rack, and looked at my clothing lying in the dejected pile. Sighing in self-pity, I picked them up and threw them away in the trash can under the sink. I had other clothing, and it wasn't like I had time to find anyone to fix all the tears in them. I knew I could have just used magic to fix them but…

My eyes widened and I closed them tightly trying to forget the onslaught of memories that I knew were coming. I didn't want to remember anything right now. I opened the door and slowly walked out of the bathroom. I heard him moving around in the kitchen and I slowly began walking toward it. I suddenly felt nervous. It felt like I was intruding. I knew I shouldn't have, but it was how I felt. Like I didn't belong there. I stood in the doorway and saw Draco leaning against the counter reading a book. I didn't want to say anything out loud, so instead I watched him as he read. It was a weird experience. I remember so much about Draco Malfoy back whenever we were younger. I still couldn't get over how different everything had been back then compared to now. Even now, I was hesitant to even believe whether or not everything we had done together had been genuine to him…or me. Even though I knew…I _knew_ that I shouldn't, a part of me still wanted to believe that he hadn't been playing games with me. But I didn't know what to believe anymore.

It was at that moment when Draco looked up, smiled and told me to go sit down in the living room.

And that's where I was now. Sitting in Draco's living room apartment on his couch with a blanket wrapped around me as he asked, _"Regular or Decaf?"_.

I looked over at several books that lay on his coffee table. Most of them had bends and cracks going up and down the sides and little post-it tabs stuck out of many of the pages. So he read a lot. That really wasn't something I had expected from him. Quietly, I picked up the nearest one and opened it. Pages of Calculus and Trigonometry problems filled the pages. Some problems were underlined with various notes written next to them in cursive like, _'divide by two, subtract six'_. Some of the problems were solved, the answers written on the pages in pen, others were scribbled out. Intrigued, I continued looking through the book until the sound of Draco placing my cup of tea down on the table made me jump.

"I-I'm sorry…" I said quickly and placed the book on the table, "I was just-"

"No big deal." Draco said grinning at me, "Actually, I just started to learn it. It's so different from what I've ever been taught before." He looked at me suddenly serious before quietly continuing, "I should be the one apologizing."

I stared into his eyes for a moment and forgot where I was. Instead, all I was doing was trying to figure out was all the emotions that lay in his eyes. Sorrow, fear, anger, happiness…loneliness. He looked at me so seriously that it was then it hit me. He had been serious all along.

I don't know how long we stayed there, staring into each other's eyes. It wasn't until Draco looked down did follow his gaze to see that he was looking at my hands in their scratched up glory.

"Hey, these don't look too good…" He said and reached out taking my one hand in his examining it with the palm up. I stiffened instantly and felt my face grow hot. At this, Draco gently let go of my hand.

"I'm sorry…" he began slowly, his face becoming red.

"I-It's okay, I just—"

The room was filled with silence then and I slowly looked up at him to see that he was staring down at me. We were quiet for a few moments. The silence seemed overbearing. Suddenly, Draco turned away.

"Hold on a minute," He said and walked into the other room. As I heard him opening cabinet doors, I placed a hand against my heart to try to keep it from leaping out of my chest. When he came back, he had a roll of gauze in his hands and a few safety pins. Wordlessly, he sat down next to me and looked at me as if asking for permission. Despite the heat growing in my face again, I held my hands up to him. He gently took my hand again and began wrapping the gauze around it. For a moment, we sat in silence not sure of what to say and watched as he expertly wrapped the gauze in a loose but firm bandage around my hand.

"…You're good at this…" I said quietly.

"Yeah…" Draco said casually, but his voice was also quiet, "Hopefully, when I get around to it, I can be a doctor. It's something I've always wanted to do."

"_when I get around to it..."_ I was confused by the way he had said it. But I didn't dwell on it as I watched him fasten the gauze with a safety pin and then reach over to my other hand.

"Why did you leave?"

I looked up at him, shocked by the question. I saw him staring steadily back at me. I didn't know what to say, or how to say it. Instantly I began to remember everything again. Everything I had tried to forget by leaving. Everything I didn't want to remember…

"You don't have to tell me now." Draco said and continued to wrap my other hand, "But I'm going to want to know someday."

"I thought…they told you everything…" I said slowly. I remember Ginny telling over the phone that Draco had come to them and wanted to know what had happened to me.

"Not…everything…" Draco said slowly, "They told me you left, but not necessarily why." He looked up at me again, "Must have been pretty bad."

I looked back at him in silence then looked down.

"There." He said and fastened the second bandage with a safety pin and let go of it. "How does it feel?"

I lifted my hands up in front of me, closed them into fists and then released them. My hands no longer stung as much now that they were surrounded by the cottony padding.

"Like having mushrooms for hands." I said slowly.

I heard him chuckle beside me. He stood up and carried the rest of the gauze back into the other room. I reached over toward the tea and picked up the mug. As I held it in my hands, I looked over out the window.

"Oh no…" I groaned.

"What is it?" Draco said as he walked back in and saw the look of dread on my face, "Did you spill the tea all over yourself?"

I ignored his joking attitude and gestured toward the window with one bandaged hand.

"It's already got to be past 5…I completely forgot about work…"

"Oh…pity." He said unsympathetically, "Just call and tell them you'll be on an extended leave then."

I looked at him exasperated. Ditching work was one thing, but taking a vacation for no actual reason was something even worse.

He took in the look on my face and shrugged, "What? If you want your cat to come live with us that bad, I don't mind."

"No, that's not what I'm—wait, what?"

"There's an extra bedroom in the back, next to the bathroom. I'll get you an extra key, and we can go back over to bring all your clothing and stuff over." Draco explained to me and when he saw my stunned expression, he smiled.

"I'm taking you back home Hermione, even if I have to drag you."

Home?

No. Way.

This was crazy.

**What do they say? That the plot **_**thickens**_**? Oh, whatever.**

**Well, I know that when it's written in text, it's harder to believe, but all of you who have followed the story ever since this summer, I don't know how else to say that I'm extremely sorry for making it seem like I had abandoned this story. I did NOT want to, and somehow I ended up almost forgetting about it. But I knew that I couldn't let you all down (Did I let you down? I apologize again if I did!) But that is unforgivable, I must work harder to get these chapters online faster from now on D**

**So, yes. Tune in next time :)**

**Until then, I love you all ^^**


	7. All These Emotions

**And…I'm back ~**

**Ugh, stupid…school projects they give us over break. How lame is that?**

**But I bought a brand new hat, so I guess that makes it all okay.**

**Constructive Criticism is more than welcome.**

**Enjoy.**

"Well…" Draco sighed as he sat against the doorway that was separating us. "I expected this to happen, but did you really have to throw that mug? I think that part was a bit unnecessary."

I was back in the bathroom again. I was sitting on the edge of the tub and had my arms crossed over my chest.

"Go _away_, Draco Malfoy!" I shouted, "I hate you!"

"You don't mean that."

"Yes I do!"

Draco sighed and I heard what sounded like him lightly banging his head off of the doorway like he was bored by this, "Well, you're going to have to come out sometime. This is, after all, my apartment."

"I'm not coming out!"

"You're going to starve." Draco helpfully offered.

"Then I'll starve." I hissed through gritted teeth. I don't know how long I was going to keep myself locked in there, but I was making one thing very clear. Draco was not taking me back home.

After Draco had mentioned that little bit of news, when we were still sitting in the living room, I reacted by throwing my mug of tea at his face. No, seriously, I did. Sadly, he had managed to dodge in time and the cup ended up breaking into a hundred little pieces against the wall. After that hadn't worked, I ran into the bathroom and locked the door. And now, fifteen minutes later, this is what he and I were currently doing.

"Let me tell you something Hermione," Draco continued cheerfully, "I have never seen someone run so fast in their life. I don't know whether to feel insulted or amazed."

"By all means, feel insulted by it."

I heard Draco laugh quietly, "Aw, come on, don't be like that."

"I'll 'be like' whatever I want to be." I retorted with venom in my voice.

After my reply, there was a few minutes of silence, and I settled myself more comfortably on the bathtub, happy with the thought that Draco had finally given up trying to coax me out of the bathroom and was leaving me alone.

"Hermione, no matter what you say, I'm going to take you back."

Or not.

"I am _not_," I began again, my nails digging into the sides of my arms, "going back."

"I know, you already told me that a million times, no need to repeat it."

"No," I said and felt myself laugh slightly in hysteria, "No, I seriously mean it. You're not taking me back."

The sudden change in my tone silenced Draco for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was gentler, "Hermione, you don't know what you're saying. It would be better for you if you went back."

"No!" I shot up from my sitting position and stomped my foot off of the tiled floor, "No! You don't get it, do you?! I left because it would be better if I wasn't there!"

"What do you mean I don't get it?" Draco said defensively, "Since when is it better when you become estranged from everyone you once knew?"

Okay, that hurt a bit. I mean, I had thought it out so carefully. I knew everything would be better if I wasn't there.

"You…" I shot back in anger, "know _nothing_."

"Well then," Draco said, "That makes two of us."

"Don't include yourself in this Draco Malfoy! You have no clue why I left, and you expect me to let you take me back?!"

"Well, maybe if you would actually _tell me why_ we wouldn't be having this conversation, now would we?" Draco replied in an annoyed tone.

I snorted, "Yeah, okay. So I should just trust you now? Did something happen to you and you've forgotten all of those years back then at school? Like I'm suddenly supposed to listen to you after all that you've down to me and my friends?! Or did you think _I've_ forgotten about it?!"

There was a noise outside the door that sounded like Draco had stood up.

"I apologized, didn't I?!"

The sudden harshness of his voice took me back a little. I hadn't expected him to react like that to what I had said, and the sudden change of his attitude left me stammering. I was actually thankful for the locked door between us.

"Damn it Hermione! I said I was sorry, what else am I supposed to say? How do you think _I've _felt about all of this?! I came all the way back to apologize to you and to take you back where you belong, and you're still thinking of me only in the past?!"

There was a silence between us before I timidly said, "I wasn't just thinking about the past you-"

"Oh, really?" Draco interrupted hotly, "Well, it doesn't seem that way to me."

I swallowed and looked at the ground guiltily. I had said the first thing that had come to my mind, and blurted the words out before I had a chance to process how Draco might have reacted to them. I hadn't meant to hurt him.

I heard Draco sigh in frustration and his voice sounded muffled as if his head was buried in his hands.

"Jesus. Hermione, listen I'm sorry…it's just that…we both have no idea what's going on with each other's lives, and…it's really hard for me to be patient with this kind of thing. Just…" Draco paused and didn't finish what he had begun to say. Instead I heard him say through the doorway, suddenly sounding tired, "I'm going to go make some food, if you want some, just tell me."

I heard him walk away and I sat heavily back down on the tub. Closing my eyes for a moment I sighed in defeat. It suddenly made sense to me what he had said earlier.

"_Hopefully, when I get around to it, I can be a doctor. It's something I've always wanted to do."_

I don't know how, but I knew he had been referring to me. Maybe he had said it intentionally or not, but either way, I knew I had to be dealt with first before he could do anything.

This revelation both shocked and hurt me. I was shocked that he was putting aside what he wanted to do most and to make sure he took me back, but it hurt me slightly that I was apparently standing in his way from what he wanted. I raised my hands in front of my face and stared at them in their bandaged glory.

The fact that Draco gone out of his way to bandage my hands, and with this whole 'dragging-me-back-to-where-I-belong' thing -despite how much it held him back-brought tears to my eyes. But only for a moment, because I took the sleeve of the shirt I was wearing and wiped at my eyes. I had already cried enough for one day. I stood up again, and swallowing nervously, I quietly unlocked the door and opened it.

Just as Draco had said, I could hear him in the kitchen preparing a meal. Quietly I shuffled across the hall and stood at the kitchen doorway suddenly embarrassed that I had no idea what I was going to say, or what I was going to do. I turned around and walked away from the doorway and over to the living room, mortified. I noticed guiltily that even though the shards of glass had been picked up, there was a rather large stain on the carpet. I averted my eyes from the discolored mark on the floor and sat down on the couch wrapping the blanket back around me that I had thrown aside earlier. Draco must have either seen or heard me leave, because a few minutes later, he came into the room with two plates of food in his hands and placed the one onto the table suggesting to me that I should "eat the food, and not throw it at me like you did with the tea."

By then I had drawn my knees up onto the couch too, and I was resting my chin on top of the one. I took one glance at the food-the delicious, mouth watering food- and groaned. I collapsed my whole body onto the couch and buried my face into a pillow. He no longer seemed angry at me anymore.

"What, not hungry?"

"No," I murmured, the pillow muffling my voice, "the comment about me throwing the food at you."

"Oh…" Draco said and after a moment, "You know I was joking, right? I mean, if you want to, you can still throw it at me, I think I'd deserve it anyway. And this time, I won't try to dodge. Pinky swear."

Despite what had happened between us not a half hour earlier, I couldn't help but laugh and I lifted my face from the pillow feeling the corners of my mouth twitching into a smile.

"I won't throw it at you. I promise."

Draco returned the smile and I felt my face grow warm. I turned away and sat up, reaching over for the plate of food. "It looks delicious." I said sincerely.

"Yeah…I try." Draco said modestly. I grinned at him and took a bite. It was amazingly delicious. Needless to say, I finished it all in a matter of minutes.

A half hour later, I was once again, sitting with my knees drawn up to my chest, and the blanket wrapped around me. Draco was lounging in a chair reading through one of his Doctoring books. My head kept bobbing up and down as my eyelids began to get heavier and heavier. Eventually, I gave in and lay down on to the couch. Just as I was about to drift off, I remembered I had forgotten to tell him something.

"Draco…" I murmured quietly. I could tell that I was too far from dreamland. "I'm sorry about…earlier…"

"Don't worry about it." Draco replied almost instantly, "Let's make it fair and say it was both our faults."

I was amused by this in my mind, but on the outside, I was too tired to care.

"Tomorrow, let's go over to your apartment and pack up your stuff to bring over here, alright?"

I was already drifting off by then, and by the time what he had said had registered in my mind, it had already been a minute or two. I reluctantly agreed in my mind. After all, I knew that I really didn't have much say in what happened to me now at this point.

It was silent for a while until I opened my mouth again.

"I'm sorry I'm such a burden…"

There was a silence, and then I heard Draco quietly reply, "Hermione, you're not a burden to me…"

Or I'm not sure. I think I was dreaming at that point.

**I am so close to toppling over and falling asleep. I'm too tired to even know what I'm typing now.**

**Well, here you are with Chapter Seven, everybody. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far~**


	8. Leaving

**Wow, thank you reviewers! ^^ You made me feel warm and fuzzy~**

**Ewww, I sound so girly…**

**Anyway, I'm not sure how many more chapters of this story I'll be releasing, but I'm going to guesstimate about five more chapters until the end? (-gasp-)**

**So please, follow me until the end? :)**

**I love you all, you wonderful, wonderful readers~**

**Enjoy!**

'_It has to be the crack of dawn…no, not even dawn…it's too early…'_

I opened my one eye only slightly just at the same time, I saw Draco move across the room in the dark and draw back the blinds to the window. I groaned at the sudden onslaught of light and shut my eye again.

"What, not a morning person?" Draco said this like he was disappointed in me.

"Why, did you expect something different?" I grumbled and tried to pull the blanket over my head. His voice was too loud.

"Well, you being a perfectionist and all, it's kind of doesn't match, you know?"

I didn't answer him. Dammit. I could have _sworn_ I locked that door. I know I did. I _know _it.

Oh, wait. He owns the apartment. He _would_ probably have a key. Yeah, no doubt.

…damn.

But this bed. This guest bed is like heaven on earth. I snuggled back into the fluffy, soft duvet and prepared to fall back into a deep undisturbed sleep when suddenly the blankets on top of me were yanked off. I was met with a rush of cold air.

"Hey!" I exclaimed trying to sound angry, but instead it came out as a high pitched whine. In a flash of frustration, I reached forward and tried to snatch at the blankets, but he held them out of my reach.

"Let. Me. Sleep!" I emphasized every word at each time I reached for the blankets, "Ugh!" I fell back down onto the bed and curled up as tightly as I could, trying to ignore the cold.

"Wow, now this is a Hermione I have never seen."

I turned around and glared at him. He had an amused expression on his face.

"Yeah, whatever." I grumbled quietly. I turned back over and threw the hood of the sweatshirt over my head, "I swear to God, if you try to wake me up one more time before eight a.m. I am going to have to kill you."

"Come on Hermione. Don't be like that. You're going to come with me to your apartment so that we can pack up your stuff. Trust me, if we do this early enough, you'll be done and then you can come back and sleep as long as you want."

"No!" I groaned and curled more into myself, "Don't you dare try to make me! I'm not getting out of this bed, and that's _final_!"

Fifteen goddamn minutes later, I had somehow been latched into his deathtrap of a car. How the hell did this happen? How the hell…

"Ahhh," Draco entered the car with an air of smugness surrounding him, "Now, let's get going shall we?"

I deliberately turned myself away from him and stared out the car window. I heard him snort beside me.

"It's not _that bad_ getting up this early."

"Oh, you don't even _know_." I snarled at him and crossed my arms tightly.

"Well, okay…" Draco said and started the car, "So what are you going to do to me? Glare me to death?"

I scoffed at what he said until I realized I really was just sitting there and glaring at him. Angrily, I turned away.

We drove in silence after that, and I stared out the window, watching the houses and cars speed past us in a blur. The sun was slowly making it's way up over the horizon just as we reached my apartment. When Draco stopped the car and turned it off, I covered my mouth as I yawned loudly and stared out onto the streets through the windshield.

"There's nobody out here…" I said quietly, mostly to myself. But then again, of course there wasn't. Aside from us, nobody in their right mind would wander around outside at four in the morning, unless you were a drunk or some homeless person. I_ look like some homeless person._ I stared down and at the baggy pants and sweatshirt, and I didn't even have to look at my hair to know that it was a mess. That was probably why he wanted us to do this so early. So that nobody would see the horrible thing I was. Ah. How touching.

I opened the car door on my side and stepped out at the same time Draco did. He looked over at me and gave me a small smile, to which I returned with a disgusted grimace. He laughed and I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying anything and instead, I slammed the car door as hard as possible. I walked past him and stomped up the steps to the apartment entrance, and opened the door. As I walked up the hallway, I could hear Draco humming comfortably behind me and I groaned. Why, why, why, why, _why _was I doing this?

When I finally got to my apartment, I suddenly remembered. Oh yeah, the key.

"Well." I said cheerfully and turned toward Draco, "If we don't have a key, we can't open the door, and if we can't open the door, we'll have to go back and for the key, and while we're back there, why don't we just sleep some more like normal people…" My voice trailed off as I watched Draco reach into his pocket and extract a pair of apartment keys. _My_ apartment keys. He handed them to me with a smirk on his face, and I sighed miserably.

"Okay, whatever." I muttered unhappily as I unlocked the door, "This better not take long." I opened the door and walked in, Draco following behind.

"It shouldn't take too long…"

I sighed again and rubbed my eyes, "Crookshanks?" I quietly called out and surveyed the room for him. I walked forward a few paces and stopped when I heard the familiar meow and I felt a small smile spread across my face. He trotted toward me, tail sticking straight up into the air. I reached out and picked him up, cradling him in my arms. Draco watched the scene in silence.

"I'm surprised you still have him."

I looked at him confused. "Well, of course I would. He's not _that_ old, it's not like I have to worry about him dying anytime soon-"

"That's not what I meant." Draco interrupted me and shook his head, "I mean I'm surprised you still have him…even though you seem to have gotten rid of everything else that had to do with… that place."

I knew he was referring to Hogwarts. I looked down at the floor and ran a hand over Crookshanks fur as he purred loudly, not sure of what to say. I opened my mouth and stuttered out a reply.

"Not…everything…I still have…some things…like the books…" My voice was so quiet now. God, why was this so hard to say?

There was a moment of silence between us before Draco spoke again.

"I still don't know anything…but when you're ready, I'd like you to tell me...everything." After he said that, his face broke into a soft smile, "Now, we should probably get packing, shouldn't we?"

I nodded my head absently and watched as he walked out of the apartment, saying that he had boxes in the car. There was so much I didn't know about _him_. Even now, I still couldn't comprehend that this was the same boy…no, _man_ that I went to school with, that would call me a mudblood and look down at me as if I were something dirty. The words still stung in my mind, even to this day, and at that thought, I felt anger beginning to bloom in my chest. He walked back into the apartment carrying several boxes, and I suddenly felt my anger evaporate as he gave me a small smile as he handed me a box, and I too felt myself give a small smile in return. I just didn't understand it.

The next two hours flowed along as nicely as a fish in the middle of the desert. I kept having to yell at Draco to stop packing my clothing, ("I can do that myself, you idiot." "Why, is there something in there you don't want me to see? Do you wear lingerie and you don't want somebody like me to find out? Man, I don't think I can even imagine someone like you wearing lingerie…" "I'm going to lock you out of the apartment…") to stop messing around with the CD player, because apparently it's totally the 'most-awesome-thing-that's-ever-been-made-by-muggles-besides-computers', and to stop threatening to leave Crookshanks in a box alongside the highway. But it was when we were finished packing up all of my clothing and the other various items located around my room that Draco reached under the bed and pulled out my book that I had wrapped in velvet.

"What's this-"

"No! Don't touch that!" Without thinking, I lunged forward and tore the book out of his grasp and pulled it to my chest and held it firmly.

Draco was taken aback by my reaction. "Why? Is that a really rare book or something?"

"No…" I said and felt my voice becoming quiet as I looked down at the floor, biting my lip, "It was…his…"

Draco's eyes widened in surprise and there was a moment of silence before Draco looked away with a sheepish expression.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No." I said meekly as I felt myself instinctively tighten my hands around the book, keeping it latched against my chest, "It's okay…you didn't know…"

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while. I could tell that Draco felt guilty, and I wanted to tell him that I overreacted, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I held the book tightly, as if daring someone to try and take it away from me. Draco finally stood up and quietly told me he was going to put the boxes into the car. I nodded my head and listened to his footsteps fade away into the corridor.

How much did he know about me? How much did I truly know about him? I know that there was something he kept hidden from me, but just how much did he know that I thought I was keeping hidden from him? There were so many questions, and I knew that I wouldn't get an answer unless I explained my side of the story first. I stood up as he came into the apartment and I helped him carry some more boxes to the car. We were silent for most of the time aside from me asking what we were going to do with Crookshanks, and him telling me that he had arranged for somebody to pick him up and bring him. At first, I was unsure and a bit wary, but with a smile, Draco told me not to worry, that I knew the person that was going to pick up my cat. I was confused at first by the way he had said that statement, and I felt slightly skeptical. It took several more minutes of him coaxing me until I reluctantly gave in with the agreement that if I didn't see Crookshanks in the next twenty-four hours, I was coming all the way back myself to bring him. I guess it was just then, talking about how we were getting my cat moved that it really hit me. It was all happening too fast. Just moments ago, I still lived in an apartment, and now, I was cutting off the lease, and I was going to leave this place for a long time, maybe never to return. I knew that this was going to happen. Draco had told me himself. He was taking me back. But suddenly it just seemed to hit me. It finally just sunk in. And the first thing I felt was fear. I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to face all of the memories and the people.

Draco and I stood next to each other by the car when this suddenly hit me. Without really knowing what I was doing, I started backing away from the car, a scared expression on my face, and I quietly said to Draco, "No…I'm sorry, I can't…I can't do this…"

"Hermione-"

"No, I don't want to go back, I don't want to do this, this is just a mistake-"

I felt Draco's arms wrap around me and my face became buried into his chest.

"Hermione, listen to me. What you're doing is not a mistake. I'm here to bring you back, and you'll see that this is all for the better. I know you're scared." Draco said quietly and I felt him run a hand over my hair, "But you don't have to be. You'll be okay. I'll make sure of it."

Something about being in his arms calmed me, like I was being charmed. I felt warm and safe, like I didn't have to worry about anything anymore. Sighing, I slowly reached up and wrapped my arms around his lower back.

"Do you promise?" I murmured softly into his chest.

"…I promise." He agreed quietly.

After that, we had broken apart and he led me to my side of the car where I got in. Draco told me that we would be driving for about three hours until we reached the train station and we would board a platform to get back to the World of magic that we once were both a part of. I stared out the window as the clouds darkened and rain began to fall, pattering lightly against the car windshield.

I took a deep breath. I wanted to find out so much. And at the same time, I knew that I had to tell the truth to Draco. I opened my mouth, and made my decision.

"You said that you don't know anything, and that when I was ready, I would have to tell you. I'll tell you everything that happened."

**Wow, what fail. The ending is pretty stupid, I know. Maybe I'll edit it later...**

**I'm trying to figure out how to play Minesweeper. What the crap is the strategy behind that game? I used to beat it all the time when I was five years old. Seriously. Now I can't play it worth crap.**

**I'm going to start setting deadlines for myself for this story. Chapter 9 will be posted this Sunday.**

**Thank you for reading! Constructive Criticism is more than welcome!**

**P.S. I am still looking for a Beta who would be willing to read and edit my chapters. If you're up for the job, please contact me via e-mail. MakingAStatement(at symbol)hotmail(dot)com or use the online fanfiction . net messaging system. Thank you again!**


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